Howard Payne University is located in Brownwood, Texas
Introduction
The revival on the campus of Howard Payne University, in Brownwood, Texas, was part of a series of events that was highly influenced by the Brownwood Revival that began on Sunday, January 22, 1995. We encourage you to review that account as a lead-in to the revival account at Howard Payne University.
With some of the faculty, administrators, and students at the nearby Howard Payne University being part of Coggin Avenue Baptist Church, the fires of revival spread organically to the university.
This revival also did not stop at Howard Payne, as it is known to have spread to over 100 schools across the United States, as well as to countless churches.
An account of this revival’s spread to those dozens of other schools can be read with this link: 1995 Wheaton College Revival.
Extraordinary Prayer and Anticipation for Revival at Howard Payne
With the arrival of the new year, when students returned for their next semester, there was in place an anticipation for what God was going to do among them. Spontaneous prayer began on the campus with about thirty or forty students, mostly freshman and sophomores.
Students were known to congregate in groups of two or three at various locations. On Friday nights the students held “Jesus Parties,” wherein they worshiped and praised the Lord, often continuing till 1:00 a.m. There were also early morning prayer meetings, paralleling what occurred prior to the start of the 1970 Asbury College Revival.
University Celebration
On Thursday night, January 26, a celebration service was conducted by the students. On this evening different students were sharing about what God was doing in their life. This celebration involved singing, sharing, and worship. It began at 7:30 p.m. and continued for two hours.
James Hahn, one of the student leaders, commenting on that evening, said
It was incredible.
The Yellow Jacket, Howard Payne’s newspaper, had a heading for Thursday, February 9:
Revival an Everyday Occurrence for Students
Another heading read:
Students Reap Years of Harvest in Revival
One of the Howard Payne students was quoted as saying:
Over the next several weeks, God is going to ‘bust’ loose on this campus.
Leading Up to the Howard Payne Outpouring
The revival at Coggin Avenue Baptist Church was continuing, with people coming to that church’s services from all over the state of Texas, and people were being baptized and saved every week.
From February 13-15, revivalist Henry Blackaby was scheduled to visit Howard Payne University and conduct five services that week. Prior to him ministering there, he spoke at Coggin Avenue Baptist Church on Sunday, February 12, 1995. The attendance that morning was the largest in the church’s history (1,200-1,300), as people from across Texas were driving to be part of those services.
Prior to the service starting on February 12, the worship leader came to Pastor John Avant’s office. Informing him of the situation in the sanctuary, he whispered to him:
God is in there!
In addition to speaking during the two morning services at Coggin Avenue Baptist Church that day, Blackaby also addressed the Howard Payne students that were present in the Sunday School that morning, preparing them for what God was going to do on their campus in the coming days.
Blackaby also spoke during the evening service, and there were those from about 30 churches that came, having cancelled their Sunday evening services to be part of that evening. There was tremendous power released during Blackaby’s message, and people were responding with brokenness and repentance as they came to the altar to pray.
Henry Blackaby
What Happened at Howard Payne University
Prior to Monday, February 13—the first day of the Blackaby meetings on campus—more students on Howard Payne were found praying. Not all the students were engaged in this heightened level of prayer, but there was a core group.
During the chapel service on Tuesday the 14th, following Blackaby’s message, people across the room began crying out in repentance.
On the evening of February 14, with a full auditorium, following Blackaby’s message, students James Hahn and Richard Robeson shared, creating a stampede of several hundred as they rushed toward the front of the room, weeping and confessing their sins. For three hours following that, student after student came to the microphone, confessing their sins and telling what God was doing in their life.
One student began to laugh during his testimony, due to the overwhelming freedom he experienced, and he said;
I’m so free! Hold me accountable, for you will find that I have been set free.
As in all genuine revivals, the presence of God was very tangible. One student present during the services, Andrea Cullins, remarked about that presence:
Once we saw the Spirit move, we didn’t want to leave.
Around 300-400 students were gathered at the altar, weeping, and praying for one another. This service began at 7:00 p.m. and continued till 11:00 p.m.
Adding Fuel to and Spreading Revival
As area churches wanted to experience revival in its fullness, they began using Henry Blackaby’s “Experiencing God” curriculum, as those materials were instrumental in laying the foundation for genuine life transformation. This was to ensure that the revival didn’t just come and go, leaving behind a mere emotional experience.
National Convocation on Revival
Henry Blackaby and John Avant were asked to be the speakers at the National Convocation on Revival in Little Rock, Arkansas (February 14-17, 1995). It was there on Friday, February 17, that doors were opened for John Avant, as well as students from Howard Payne, to begin traveling to share at churches and schools across the nation, testifying as to what God was doing.
During their spring break Howard Payne students traveled to many different locations, stirring hearts at every school and church they visited. This was similar to what occurred during many other revivals throughout history. The famous revival historian J. Edwin Orr had previously commented about this phenomenon:
There have been instances in the history of the Church when telling and retelling of the wonderful works of God have been used to rekindle the expectations of the faithful intercessors and prepare the way for another Awakening.
Illinois State Evangelism Conference
On Tuesday, March 14, 1995, John Avant spoke at the Illinois State Evangelism Conference. His message was revival, and about what he had seen happen at his own church, at Howard Payne University, and at other locations.
Avant’s inspiring testimony resulted in the service lasting five hours, as pastors and state executives of the denomination openly confessed their sins and moved toward reconciliation amongst themselves.
One pastor publicly confessed
I have spent thousands of hours on the phone talking about my disagreements with people in the state office.
And he was referring to people that were there in attendance. And he continued:
I haven’t had a quiet time in three years.
That pastor then gathered in repentance and prayer with the state director of evangelism and the executive director of evangelism
State of Texas, USA
Results of the Revival
► The revival spread to over 100 schools and to an unknown number of churches.
► There was an overwhelming compulsiveness to confess sins publicly. People were miserable until they would yield and do this.
► The holiness of God was sensed so powerfully that people could not stand without instantly confessing enormous sins.
► Salvation was experienced by students, as well as by those in the community who were in attendance.
► Damaged relationships were restored.
► Racial and gender reconciliation occurred.
► Marriages were reunited.
► Private devotional times with God became enjoyable, and not conducted out of duty.
► Youth groups in surrounding churches also experienced revival.
► Some testified of trembling due to the presence and power of God.
► Emotions were real, with some saying that:
The presence of God was so thick in the place that I could not speak without crying.
This image shows over 50 out of the 100+ schools impacted by this revival (right click image to see larger view).
Primary Sources
► Accounts of a Campus Revival: Wheaton College 1995 by Timothy Beougher
► Revival by John Avant
► Revival Revived by John Avant
Secondary Sources
► A History of the Worldwide Awakening of 1992-1995 by Richard Riss
► Campus Revival by David Briggs in the Spokesman-Review
► Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby and Claude King
► Fresh Encounter by Henry Blackaby and Claude King
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Chet & Phyllis Swearingen
(260) 920-8248
romans1015@outlook.com
Beautiful Feet
P.O. Box 915
Auburn, IN 46706
